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German Pinscher Dog Breed Info & Pictures

The German Pinscher is an elegant, muscularly built dog. It is a proportional dog with its length equal to its height. Its skull is elongated in the shape of a wedge with an alert expression. Its eyes are dark, oval, and medium sized. The ears are set high and may be cropped or uncropped. If cropped, they stand erect; if uncropped, the ears are folded over with a V-shape. The muzzle is equal to the length of the top skull. The bite is scissored and strong. The tail is docked between the second and third joints and carried high. The coat is short, smooth and shiny. The color of the coat can be fawn, red, black, blue, or bi-colored. Bi-colored dogs have red and tan markings above the eyes, on the lips, the throat, the forechest, the cheeks, the lower jaw, forelegs, feet, pasterns, below the tail and on the inner sides of the hind legs.

Photos

Temperament

The German Pinscher is a busy and energetic dog whose plucky personality can cause a person to wonder whether it sees itself as Mastiff-sized....

The German Pinscher is loyal to its family and wary of or aggressive toward just about everything else. This dog does not take well to other pets whether feline, canine or rodent unless it is raised with them from a young age. Neither should you be surprised if the German Pinscher tries to assert dominance over larger dogs. Strangers are generally regarded with suspicion, though early socialization can remedy this. The German Pinscher is an excellent watch dog and a passable guard dog, and will ensure that no one enters your home unnoticed. The German Pinscher will tolerate well mannered children, but it will not stand idly by if it is being harassed or mistreated; young children especially should be supervised when playing with this dog.

Caring For a German Pinscher

The German Pinscher is an active dog that will do okay in apartment life only if it is exercised regularly....

The dog appreciates a small yard to play in, but make sure it is well fenced, as the dog has a propensity for digging. The German Pinscher does not shed much, and requires only minimal grooming. The dog does well in heat and poorly in cold; regardless of climate, this dog should live inside with its family as it becomes very unhappy if it feels it is being left out. Germany Pinschers are uncannily healthy little creatures; have your veterinarian check for hip and eye problems, but dont be surprised if she doesnt find anything.

Breed History

The German Pinscher is a rather old breed, and is the common ancestor of many of the more popular Pinscher dogs....

Descending from the ancient German Bibarhund, the German Pinscher originated in the 17th century from crosses between the Tanner and the Black and Tan Terrier. These quick dogs were skilled ratters, and their ability to clear out a stable or kitchen made them valuable animals to countless German farmers and families. The German Pinschers popularity reached its zenith in the late 19th century; the breed standard was created in 1884. Not long after, though, the breeds popularity began a slow decline that would be dramatically punctuated by the World Wars. After World War II, the German Pinscher was all but extinct. The breed was eventually saved in 1958, when Werner Jung bred a German Pinscher bitch smuggled from East Germany with four different oversized Miniature Pinscher males. Virtually all German Pinschers alive today are descended from these five dogs. The breed was brought to the United States during the 1970s, and after a brief stint in the Miscellanous class beginning in 2001, the German Pinscher was finally recognized by the American Kennel Club as a member of the Working Group in 2003. Though still quite rare, the German Pinscher has managed to win over some devoted fans and its future seems secure.